eorcnanstan

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Old English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Compound of eorcnan (special, noble) +‎ stān (stone). Cognate with Old Norse jarknasteinn, which is generally regarded as a loan from Old English. Translates margarita in 9th century biblical glosses but is used generically as "precious stone, gem" in Beowulf (line 1208) and The Ruin (v. 36).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈe͜ork.nɑnˌstɑːn/, [ˈe͜orˠk.nɑnˌstɑːn]

Noun

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eorcnanstān m

  1. precious stone, pearl

Declension

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Descendants

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  • English: arkenstone (Tolkien)

References

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  • Peter Kitson, 'Lapidary traditions in Anglo-Saxon England: part I, the background; the Old English Lapidary' in: Anglo-Saxon England, vol. 7, eds. Martin Biddle, Julian Brown, Peter Clemoes, Cambridge University Press, 2007, →ISBN, 9-60 (fn. 5 p. 25).